The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 38 Part 2

Since completing that mission and parting ways with Yun Yan outside the inn upon returning to the capital, Lin Aoxue had neither sought her out nor been sought out in return. Their connection had suddenly been severed, and their relationship seemed to have reverted to how it was when they first barely knew each other—yet, something had changed.

The guilt and sorrow in Lin Aoxue’s heart had gradually been buried over time. But every now and then, those emotions would surge up unexpectedly, momentarily throwing her into a daze.

As the army’s departure drew nearer, one day, Lin Aoxue took her silver spear and practiced in the inn’s backyard. She completed an entire set of the Youlong Spear Technique with powerful, fluid movements. By the end, a thin layer of sweat had formed on her forehead, and her clothes were damp. She put away her spear and turned to head back to her room to freshen up and change.

Just as Lin Aoxue stepped out of the courtyard, she saw a servant boy waiting outside. The moment he spotted her, he quickly stepped forward, stood before her, clasped his hands in a formal salute, and bowed deeply.

“Qianhu Lin, the princess requests your presence.”

Lin Aoxue halted in her tracks and looked at the servant, a flicker of confusion passing through her eyes.

Beichen Ling rarely sought her out. It had been nearly ten days since she was last summoned to the prince’s residence. Moreover, with Beichen He claiming to be injured and refusing to attend court, the gates of the residence had been shut tight. Why would Beichen Ling suddenly call for her now?

She told the servant to “wait a moment,” then quickly returned to her room. There was no time to freshen up, so she simply changed into a clean set of clothes. Not wanting to keep the servant waiting too long, she was ready in about the time it took to brew half a cup of tea. Pushing open the door, she stepped out and followed him to the Prince of the First Rank’s residence.

As she approached the gate, Lin Aoxue couldn’t help but reflect. She distinctly remembered the last time she encountered Beichen Ling here—the woman had shot her a cold glance, sharp as a blade, as if she wished she could carve a hole in Lin Aoxue’s face. And yet today, she had taken the initiative to summon her. It was truly strange.

Beichen Ling was in the same place as last time, seated in the courtyard. Spring had brought warmth, and the pear trees had not only sprouted new buds but also bloomed with delicate white flowers. From a distance, they resembled freshly fallen snow, pristine and beautiful.

By now, the snows in the northern border had likely melted as well. Around this time last year, the barbarians launched their first spring assault on Xingbei Pass, marking the beginning of the season’s warfare.

“Lin Aoxue greets Your Highness.”

Lin Aoxue stepped into the courtyard, concealing all emotions behind a mask of cold detachment. She bowed with respectful yet composed etiquette. Beichen Ling had already sensed her arrival the moment she entered, but she only lifted her gaze when Lin Aoxue knelt in greeting. Her eyes were as icy as ever, devoid of the casual ease she had shown during their last encounter.

Feeling the weight of Beichen Ling’s frigid stare, Lin Aoxue found the situation baffling. She was certain she had done nothing to provoke Beichen Ling, so why had her attitude changed so drastically? The princess was difficult to read, and since Lin Aoxue could not fathom her intentions, she chose to remain silent and stand by, awaiting instructions.

A long moment passed before Beichen Ling finally spoke, her expression still cold. “What have you been doing these past few days?”

Lin Aoxue grew even more perplexed. She took a deep breath, lowered her eyes, and answered, “I have had little to do. I have been recovering from my injuries at the inn, and once I healed, I resumed my training.”

“You haven’t left the inn?” Beichen Ling asked again.

Lin Aoxue frowned slightly but quickly relaxed her expression and replied, “His Highness summoned me once. Other than that, I have not left the inn.” She wondered if something had happened, causing Beichen Ling to suspect her involvement and summon her for questioning.

After hearing her answer, Beichen Ling’s expression darkened even further. Lin Aoxue was utterly confused. Silence stretched between them for a few moments before Beichen Ling let out a long sigh and finally spoke. “If you have time, go to Yanyu Tower.”

Lin Aoxue was stunned. She abruptly lifted her head and looked at Beichen Ling, her eyes full of confusion.

For Beichen Ling to say such a thing, it had to be related to Yun Yan.

It had taken Lin Aoxue nearly ten days to suppress the emotions in her heart, but the moment Beichen Ling uttered those words, they surged violently to the surface once more. She pressed her lips together, her face full of unspoken questions, hoping Beichen Ling would explain further.

To her surprise, after saying those words, Beichen Ling simply waved her hand, signaling Lin Aoxue to leave. This left Lin Aoxue even more perplexed.

Had Beichen Ling summoned her just to say that one sentence?

Still feeling baffled, Lin Aoxue bowed, then turned to leave the courtyard. Beichen Ling remained seated on the stone stool, the book in her hands left untouched for a long while. Only after Lin Aoxue’s figure disappeared from sight did she finally lift her head, glancing in the direction Lin Aoxue had gone before letting out a helpless sigh.

“What is the point of all this…”

The person Yun Yan had once protected so fiercely now seemed indifferent to the world outside, not even caring about Yun Yan’s well-being.

Beichen Ling couldn’t help but feel that Yun Yan’s devotion had been in vain.

***

As Lin Aoxue walked out of the prince’s residence, she kept replaying Beichen Ling’s brief words in her mind. Her heart pounded faster, and her confusion deepened. Why had Beichen Ling specifically summoned her just to say that? Had something happened to Yun Yan?

But Yun Yan was such a formidable woman—how could anything possibly happen to her?

Lost in thought, Lin Aoxue wandered aimlessly through the bustling streets. Eventually, as she passed by the street corner near Yanyu Tower, she once again heard a familiar melody from within.

The music was soft yet lingering, rising and falling in waves. Even the scholars listening outside the tower, engrossed in their poetry and prose, seemed to be swept away by the melody, their emotions shifting with each note.

Lin Aoxue stopped at the street corner, tilting her head up to look toward Yanyu Tower. From a distance, she could see the elegant pavilions and corridors. On the second floor, an extended platform held a single musician. Though the distance blurred her vision, she knew in her heart that the one playing the qin must be Yun Yan.

Her emotions became tangled. A heavy weight settled in her chest, dull and aching. The feeling that had surged up within her the day she stepped off the carriage resurfaced, wrapping around her heart, making every breath feel burdened.

She wanted to step closer, to move just a little nearer and look at Yun Yan once more. But at the same time, she felt that the distance between them—neither too close nor too far—was perhaps the best way to exist.

Lin Aoxue stood at the street corner for a long time, long enough for passersby to start glancing at her curiously.

She clenched her teeth, finally deciding to turn away.

But just as she was about to leave, the music behind her suddenly came to an abrupt halt. A sharp twang pierced the air—the sound of a qin string snapping.

Lin Aoxue froze mid-step. A sudden sense of foreboding surged in her chest. Instinct took over, and she spun around, looking back toward the qin platform.

To her shock, the woman seated there swayed weakly before collapsing onto the platform.

Gasps erupted from the gathered scholars below. Lin Aoxue felt her breath catch, as if her heart had stopped along with the broken melody. A wave of panic and unease flooded her, overriding her initial decision to stay away.

In that moment, reason no longer mattered—nor did the divisions and suspicions that had once stood between them. She moved faster than she ever had before, dashing toward Yanyu Tower.

Amid the commotion, she leaped onto the qin platform in one swift motion.

Yun Yan lay on the ground, her face as pale as paper. The snapped qin string had cut into her fingers, and droplets of blood trailed down the instrument, staining the floor beside her.

Lin Aoxue stood frozen, her mind blank. It felt as though something inside her had snapped as well.

Chaos erupted within the tower. Voices rose in alarm, and a few servants rushed up the stairs, hurrying to see what had happened on the qin platform.

Lin Aoxue sprang forward, reaching Yun Yan before the attendants from Yanyu Tower could arrive. She quickly pulled Yun Yan into her arms, her hands trembling as she checked for breath. Only when she felt the faint yet steady flow of air against her fingertips did she finally let out a sharp breath of relief.

Her legs felt weak beneath her—thankfully, Yun Yan was merely unconscious, not suddenly lifeless.

Without hesitation, Lin Aoxue lifted Yun Yan into her arms and left Yanyu Tower, ignoring the attendants’ shouts. She had no idea why Yun Yan had collapsed like this, but her instincts told her one thing: she needed to take Yun Yan to a doctor.

A healer cannot heal themselves. No matter how skilled Yun Yan was in medicine, in her unconscious state, she was powerless to diagnose and treat herself.

Lin Aoxue rushed into the nearest medical clinic, her urgency evident as she called out to the physician inside, demanding that he check Yun Yan’s pulse.

Half of Lin Aoxue’s face was covered by a mask, giving her a fierce and intimidating appearance. The pharmacy assistants inside recoiled in fright, but the elderly physician, having seen countless life-and-death situations, remained calm. He motioned for Lin Aoxue to lay Yun Yan down on a long wooden bench in the hall, then approached with his medicine chest.

The physician was experienced. After taking Yun Yan’s pulse, his brow furrowed deeply, making Lin Aoxue’s heart clench with unease. When he finally lifted his head, she leaned in anxiously and asked, “Doctor, how is she?”

The physician’s frown deepened as he asked, “Is she your wife?”

Lin Aoxue nearly choked on air at the question, but she forced herself to stay composed. Her expression darkened as she firmly corrected, “She’s my sister.”

The physician nodded in understanding and refrained from pressing further. However, there was a trace of reproach in his gaze as he said, “Your sister is seriously injured. How is it that no one has been caring for her? She has developed an infection from her wounds and caught a chill, leading to this condition. She needs proper rest for a period of time to recover. I’ll prescribe some medicine—take her home, have her drink it morning and night, and take good care of her.”

Lin Aoxue stood in stunned silence. She blankly accepted the prescription, paid for the medicine, and retrieved it, all the while feeling as if her mind were in complete disarray.

Only when the medicine was finally in her hands did she snap back to reality. Clutching Yun Yan tightly, she hurried back to Yun Yan’s small residence at the fastest speed possible.

She retrieved the key from Yun Yan’s waist, unlocked the door, and carried her inside. Entering the bedroom, she gently laid Yun Yan down on the bed.

Carefully, she examined Yun Yan’s condition before unfolding the blankets and covering her. Then, she took out a portion of the prescribed medicine and brought it to the kitchen to brew over the stove.

It was only at this moment that Lin Aoxue finally had the chance to process what the doctor had said.

Yun Yan was injured—severely so. The wounds had become infected, and exposure to the cold had caused her to fall unconscious.

How had she gotten hurt?

This question echoed in Lin Aoxue’s mind as she recalled her earlier conversation with Beichen Ling—the cryptic words, the strange demeanor. She gritted her teeth, her emotions in turmoil. After setting the medicine on the stove, she quickly returned to the bedroom, afraid that Yun Yan might wake up in the meantime.

A faint flush had spread across Yun Yan’s pale cheeks. Lin Aoxue walked over and pressed the back of her hand against Yun Yan’s face. Immediately, her brows knitted together—Yun Yan was burning up.

Her emotions grew even more complicated. She had been in this exact condition before—feverish, drenched in cold sweat, trembling uncontrollably due to severe injuries. If it hadn’t been for Yun Yan treating her in time, she would likely have suffered lasting ailments.

Now, the roles were reversed.

Lin Aoxue turned and fetched a basin of cool water. Dipping a cloth into it, she carefully wiped Yun Yan’s face and arms.

There had been countless times in the past when Yun Yan had taken care of her. But now, it was Lin Aoxue’s turn to care for the gravely ill Yun Yan.

At this moment, Yun Yan’s face was pale, making her appear especially fragile. She remained unconscious, her eyes tightly shut, but her eyelids trembled incessantly as if trapped in a nightmare. Her expression was one of fear and pain, causing Lin Aoxue’s heart to clench violently.

Lin Aoxue wiped Yun Yan’s face more frequently, but in the process, she noticed that Yun Yan’s body was covered in a thin layer of cold sweat, soaking through her clothes. She recalled how, when Yun Yan had taken care of her in the past, she would always change her damp clothes immediately. Otherwise, the moisture combined with the cold would seep into the body, leading to a troublesome chill.

However, Lin Aoxue suddenly found herself in a dilemma—she had never helped anyone change clothes before, let alone Yun Yan.

She hesitated for a long time, but in the end, her concern for Yun Yan’s worsening condition overcame her reluctance. Turning to Yun Yan’s neatly stacked clothing cabinet, she retrieved a clean set of inner garments. Returning to the bedside, she lifted the blanket, preparing to remove Yun Yan’s wet clothing.

But just as she pulled open Yun Yan’s collar, her hands froze abruptly. Lin Aoxue’s pupils contracted sharply as her gaze locked onto Yun Yan’s partially exposed collarbone, where a deep, brutal whip mark marred her otherwise flawless skin.

Lin Aoxue clenched her fists tightly, her hands trembling uncontrollably. She bit down hard, suppressing her turbulent emotions, and carefully undid Yun Yan’s clothing. With just a slight pull at the collar, more of the injury was revealed—an angry welt stretched from her shoulder, trailing upward before carving a scabbed-over, crimson scar across her back.

Lin Aoxue’s eyes widened in shock as she took in the crisscrossing whip marks covering Yun Yan’s back, her rage surging to the point of explosion.

She had never imagined seeing such severe wounds on Yun Yan. There were so many whip marks—even for Lin Aoxue, who had trained in martial arts for years and built some resilience, enduring this many lashes would have left her bedridden for days. And Yun Yan, who was delicate and frail—how had she withstood this torment?

A fury strong enough to shatter the heavens burned within Lin Aoxue. She wanted nothing more than to kill, to burn everything to the ground, to exact vengeance for Yun Yan.

These were clearly wounds inflicted by torture devices. Who had done this to her? And why?

Suppressing her overwhelming anger, Lin Aoxue felt her heart clench so painfully that she could hardly breathe. The sight of those whip marks against Yun Yan’s pale skin was unbearable. She wished she could take Yun Yan’s place, bear the pain in her stead.

Frantically, she rummaged through the room, searching for the medicine Yun Yan had once used on her injuries. Finding it, she returned to the bedside and, with both gentleness and efficiency, removed Yun Yan’s damp clothing. At this moment, she had no other thoughts—only the urgency of treating Yun Yan’s wounds.

Her movements were careful, as she feared pressing too hard and causing Yun Yan more pain.

Clenching her jaw, Lin Aoxue applied the medicine to Yun Yan’s wounds, her fingers trembling slightly. Once she was done, she carefully redressed her, pulled the blanket over her, and tucked her in snugly.

After spending a long time tending to Yun Yan, Lin Aoxue suddenly remembered the medicine she had left brewing on the stove. Panic surged through her, and she practically jumped in place before rushing back to the kitchen.

The medicine had already come to a rolling boil, the lid of the pot rattling from the pressure of the steam and bubbling liquid within.

Lin Aoxue hurried over. In her haste, she instinctively reached out to lift the lid with her bare hands, only for the scalding steam to burn her fingers. The pain twisted her expression, and she recoiled as if electrocuted, pressing her fingers against her earlobe in an attempt to cool them.

Taking a lesson from her mistake, she grabbed a damp cloth, used it to lift the lid, and checked the medicine.

Estimating that it still needed a little more time to brew, she covered the pot again and fetched a woven fan, fanning the coals to stoke the fire.

She remained by the stove, waiting patiently. Once the medicine was ready, she poured a bowl of the steaming liquid into a ceramic cup, holding it carefully as she made her way toward Yun Yan’s room.

Lin Aoxue quietly pushed open the door. However, the moment she stepped inside, she froze completely.

At some point, Yun Yan had already woken up.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Yun Yan turned her head with difficulty. Her gaze landed on Lin Aoxue—standing there, one hand pushing the door open, the other holding a bowl of medicine, her movements cautious and almost sneaky, like a little thief caught red-handed.

Yun Yan blinked a few times, making sure she wasn’t seeing things. Then, a faint glimmer of amusement flickered in her eyes.

This person really was a thief—a thief who had stolen her heart.